


Safe Place

by SevenCorvus



Series: Avengers 50 Prompt Table [12]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (2012)
Genre: Character Study, Clint Feels, Gen, M/M, One Shot, Prompt Fic, Slash, Tony Feels, gen - Freeform, or - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-12-13
Updated: 2012-12-13
Packaged: 2017-11-21 00:36:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 516
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/591454
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SevenCorvus/pseuds/SevenCorvus
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>For all their differences, they had more in common than people might think.</p><p>Prompt: hiding<br/>Characters: Clint Barton/Tony Stark (can be read as gen or slash)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Safe Place

**Author's Note:**

> Written as part of my NaNoWriMo project, and for the prompt "hiding" on the [Avengers 50 Prompt Table](http://sevencorvus.livejournal.com/24907.html). Each of my prompt fills will be covering a different character combination and most can be read as gen or romantic, I leave it up to you to decide. I will be posting a fic a day for the rest of this month (at least). Feedback is love and will be rewarded with cookies (and smut).

For all their differences, they had more in common than people might think. They both knew what it was like to grow up with a family that they could not count on, could not make proud of them. They knew what it was like to struggle with the perception that people had of them, or to give up deciding that people would think whatever they wanted to. And they both knew what it was like to want to hide, to find a space that was purely theirs, that was safe and secure, whether it be a nest in the ventilation or a password locked, AI protected lab. It was theirs. 

Tony made it clear from the beginning that he did not mind Clint hiding away in the vents. He never said anything about it. But the system was kept suspiciously clean, and JARVIS always knew to report things to him there. And if some warm blankets made an appearance, or stashes of food were suddenly there, it was not like he was really a bird or anything. He just liked feeling secure, and evidently Tony understood that. 

Though the more time he spent in Tony's lab, with the drawers full of snacks, and the cot in the corner, the more he realized just why Tony understood. Whether it was hiding in the open space of the lab, where anyone could know he was there, or in the ventilation, secure in the darkness, it was still a way to retreat to some safe place. 

There was one big difference between them though, in that Tony sometimes invited other people into his space, not often, but he did. To show them his latest tech project or help them with their equipment. Clint wondered how many of them really appreciated what Tony was doing, where he was inviting them. Clint had never allowed someone to join him in the ventilation, though Tasha could often find him, and Coulson always seemed to know when he hold up over his handler's office. The very idea of it was frightening, as if by having another person it would make the space less his, less safe. 

The others worried when Tony locked them out, stayed in the lab for days before making an appearance, but Clint knew it was best to let him be. That trying to get him to come out would probably just make it worse. He tried to keep track, though, tried to see what set it off. Clint was good at seeing patterns, and he felt that maybe if he knew what the causes were, he could do something to help, and for some reason he wanted to. He thought maybe Tony just might let him. 

After all what else could the blankets and food be, but subtle messages that he was understood, that he was safe. Tony had never once teased him for it, never belittled him, and always interceded when the others asked where Clint disappeared to. Maybe it was time Clint did something as well; maybe he could find a safe place for both of them.


End file.
